Cargo Van Ramps, Safety
Tips for Using a Cargo Van Ramp During the Winter
05
Dec
Dec
While many people will be cozying up by a fire as the temperature drops, you will still be hard at work keeping your business running throughout the winter season.
To keep your business running as smoothly as possible, you need tools that can support you through the extreme weather and snow. Whether you are interested in purchasing a HandiRamp cargo van ramp or already own a ramp and are interested in getting the most out of it throughout the coming winter months, a HandiRamp ramp can sufficiently support your business’s operations in any weather conditions.
HandiRamp Cargo Van Ramp Winter Safety Features
Handling cumbersome cargo can be an especially tough task during the winter months when slick surfaces, snow, and ice become more common. Minimizing wasted effort when conducting your business in winter can help to ensure the safety of your employees and your cargo from preventable accidents. Slips and falls are much more common in cold weather with all of the added hazards it brings, so to best combat any possible mishaps you should take advantage of the safety features of a commercial van ramp. But not just any cargo van ramp, one intentionally designed to ease the operation of your cargo or sprinter van.
HandiRamp cargo van ramps come equipped with a plethora of features and even some accessories that can help your business upgrade its safety, efficiency, and profitability. A number of these features are especially helpful when it comes to maintaining your business during the cold weather.
All of our ramps feature welded construction to be as strong and resilient as possible. Most other ramps are assembled using bolts which are less reliable as the bolts may come loose over time and extended use requires extra maintenance. Imagine that it’s a snowy winter day, you’ve got gloves on and a nut comes loose from your ramp and drops into the snow. First, you couldn’t find the nut and second, it would be nearly impossible to tighten the bolt back up without taking off your gloves! The welds on HandiRamp ramps will never come loose, no matter how long or how much they are used. This critical feature means your business can stay productive no matter the temperature or weather conditions.
Several ease-of-use features are available in HandiRamp cargo van ramps as well. Thanks to our True Spring Assist deployment system, all of our ramps can be deployed by just one person. Most other ramps over-rely on only gas shocks to raise and lower their ramps. Gas shocks alone aren’t strong enough to lift the weight of a cargo van ramp, especially in the cold weather when they are less effective. True Spring Assist pairs two gas shocks with two heavy-duty springs to lift the weight of the ramp and aid in deployment no matter how cold the weather.
Several ease-of-use features are available in HandiRamp cargo van ramps as well. Thanks to our True Spring Assist deployment system, all of our ramps can be deployed by just one person. Most other ramps over-rely on only gas shocks to raise and lower their ramps. Gas shocks alone aren’t strong enough to lift the weight of a cargo van ramp, especially in the cold weather when they are less effective.. True Spring Assist pairs two gas shocks with two heavy-duty springs to lift the weight of the ramp and aid in deployment no matter how cold the weather.
Going even further, your business has the option of upgrading your cargo van ramp with HandiRamp’s ultimate ease-of-use ramp accessory, the Tower Hoist. While the True Spring Assist system comes standard in all HandiRamp cargo van ramps, the additional Tower Hoist can be installed on the rear of your cargo van and reduce the effort required to raise and lower the ramp by almost 75%.
With its specialized spring mechanism that can lift and lower the cables on your ramp, the Tower Hoist allows you to utilize your cargo van ramp and fully utilize your sprinter van while staying safe in rough winter conditions with little to no effort.
To read more about the available cargo van ramp accessories in detail, click here.
Patented Non-Slip Surface
Perhaps the most crucial feature of a HandiRamp cargo van ramp when considering working in winter conditions is our patented raised-button non-slip surface which also comes standard in every HandiRamp ramp. The 360-degree traction provided by this unique surface is unrivaled among other similar products and offers an unparalleled degree of safety and control when using your ramp.
Common environmental hazards like snow, ice, and dirt are no match for these buttons, which offer traction in every direction and in every weather condition. The surface is self-cleaning as well, so with each step on your cargo van ramp you clear up the raised buttons. With any other ramp utilizing a basic, shallow-groove traction system, these common winter dangers would almost certainly ruin what little non-slip properties present at the precise moment when they are most needed.
As an option, you can customize your cargo van ramp for severe winter weather with our aggressive star-burst traction ramp surface. Even in the snowiest of conditions this raised star-burst pattern will grab your wheeled equipment confidently and consistently.
General Tips for Winter
HandiRamp’s cargo van ramps have a number of important safety and ease-of-use features to help year-round, especially in winter. Additionally, though, there are other factors to keep in mind that can help keep you and your employees safe all winter long.
When the snow starts falling and deliveries still need to be made, it’s important to ensure that there is an unobstructed path from your van to your delivery area. It’s hard enough to keep your balance on icy and snowy pathways, trying to maneuver on fickle ground when also transporting cargo is an unnecessary risk your business doesn’t need.
Additionally, it’s important to make sure that all of your cargo vans are properly equipped for winter hazards and that your drivers are knowledgeable and comfortable with operating cargo or sprinter vans in difficult weather. Make sure that the brakes and heating are working in the vans, and that drivers have the necessary emergency gear for the possibility of becoming stranded in the most severe of winter storms or otherwise needing help.
In addition to preparing for driving on snowy roads, it’s important to ready the necessary equipment to maintain your HandiRamp cargo van ramp through the winter season. When operating the ramp during snowfall, you should aim to minimize the amount of moisture that accumulates on the ramp. While the aluminum metal that the ramps are made of won’t rust even after prolonged exposure to the elements, keeping snow off the ramps will help maintain safety when maneuvering with cargo up and down the ramps, and will also help prevent ice from forming or moisture from getting into the van.
Even further, keeping the surface of the ramp clear from obstructions like fallen snow or dirt allows the previously mentioned raised button non-slip surface to achieve its full potential. While the 360-degree traction provided by this non-slip surface is effective through environmental hazards, it’s even more useful for keeping you and your employees safe when regularly maintained and cleaned.
Your Next Steps
In case you haven’t already begun enhancing your business via HandiRamp cargo van ramps but have decided to take the leap forward, you can read here about finding the perfect width and length of ramp for your specific needs. On the off chance you still need a little extra convincing before purchasing cargo van ramps to boost your business’s efficiency and success, you can keep reading about how a ramp improves delivery operations here and exactly how worthwhile investing in new cargo van ramps is for your business here.
Thank you for reading and hopefully you found this both entertaining and educational. Click here to browse our selection of cargo van ramps and click here to browse all of the accessories. If you have any lingering questions, please call our ramp experts at 866-833-0314 to discuss anything from delivery to pre or post-installation help to custom solutions. Stay tuned for more tips, information, and updates from HandiRamp.
